RAF Aircraft Apprentices

RAF Cranwell 1942 - 1944

Long Serving Entry Rep. — Sadly Arthur "Lucky"
Luck died of cancer on 24 October
2002

Current Entry Rep: Ken Anthony

CRANWELL

We were at Cranwell from August 1942 to September
1944.

Due to wartime demands, our training period had
been reduced from 3 to 2 years.

Our original Entry was 75 strong.

On 1st January 1943 No.1 Signals School was
renamed No.1 Radio School.

In August 1942, 75 young hopefuls arrived at
RAF Cranwell as the 4M9 (45th) Entry to train as Wireless Operator
Mechanics. During
their training they gained 6 from Senior Entries, 8 ceased
training, while 11 of their number were re-classed to later Entries,
leaving 62 to pass out in September 1944.

The Entry List below is presented in alphabetical
order:

NUMBER

SURNAME

INITS

KNOWN AS

REMARKS

578935

Anthony

K

Ken

Lapsed Association Member

578973

Arabin-Williams

C G

Cyril

Lapsed Association Member

579011

Atkins

A R

Alan, AKA "Tommy"

Association Member

579067

Bailey

E J F

John, AKA "Titch"

Deceased Lapsed Association Member (25th
Feb 2007)

578941

Bailey

K C

Slim

Deceased 31st Jul 1986

579026

Barry

J

Blondie, AKA "John"

579168

Beale

S W

Stan

579138

Bishop

D R M

Derek

FT'd to 46th Entry. Deceased
5th Jan 2000

578985

Blackhall

I R

Ian, AKA "Blackie"

FT'd to 46th Entry. Association
Member

579141

Bolland

N

Norman, AKA "Bol"

Deceased 10th Jan 2006

578956

Bower

J B

John

578862

Boyd

T L

Joined with 44th Entry

579151

Brown

G

Discharged

579167

Bryant

A R

Roy, AKA "Bry"

Deceased 31st Mar 2001

579066

Bunning

F W

Fred

579055

Butcher

L C

Les, AKA "Butch"

Lapsed Association Member

578830

Cash

L B

Les

Joined with 44th Entry

579089

Clifton

B J

Discharged. Deceased date
N/K

578936

Comer

L E

Les

Discharged. Deceased 17th
Jul 1997

579085

Corby

R P

Raymond, AKA "Mush"

579111

Dandy

G T

George, AKA "Dude"

Deceased Lapsed Association Member (15th
Apr 2002)

578961

Davies

E A

Discharged

579014

Dinnage

K W A

Spinner

Deceased 1983/84

579010

East

J C

John

579004

Fagen

D R

Discharged

579150

Farrington

F G

Freddy

579064

Fitchett

M J

Maurice

Association Member

578964

Fowler

J

John, AKA "Chic"

Deceased Association Member (14th Oct
2003)

579104

Frankish

J W

Frank

Deceased Association Member (Jan 1993)

579109

French

P V R

Pete

FT'd to 46th Entry. Deceased 5th
Nov 1948

579027

Fyles

L A

Les

Deceased Association Member (8th Dec
2000)

578861

Grimson

E J F

Joined with 44th Entry

579146

Guilor

A

Alan

FT'd to 46th Entry

579082

Hall

N R

Neville

FT'd to 46th Entry. Deceased 3rd
Jul 1994

579120

Harris

R G

Bob

Deceased Association Member (15th Mar
2003)

579090

Hatcher

R F

Roger

Association Member

578586

Hewitt

J D

Joined with 43rd Entry

578937

Hewitt

M R S

Mike

Deceased 27th Jul 1946

578997

Holland

P J

Dutch

579035

Huskins

K J

Ken

Not Traced. Nuneaton area.

579105

Isham

D C

Doug

Deceased Lapsed Association Member,
(4 Nov 2007).

578918

Jackson

P G

Jacko

Deceased March 2002

578875

James

G L

Gerard, AKA "Gerry, Jimmy"

Joined with 44th Entry. Deceased
5th Mar 2003

578917

Jays

K A

Ken, AKA "Toby"

Deceased Association Member (10th Nov
2003)

579022

Jenkins

F V B

Vic

Deceased Association Member 22nd Mar
2001)

579048

John

J K

Taff

FT'd to 46th Entry. Deceased
19th May 1946

579054

Johnson

O N

Oliver

578928

Kent

J G

Godfrey

Deceased Association Member (2nd Mar
1996)

579121

Kington

J A

John, AKA "Konk"

FT'd to 46th Entry. Deceased
Association Member (5th Mar 1996)

578782

Knight

C T W

Joined with 44th Entry

579028

Larder

C W

Bill

Association Member

579059

Leese

J A

Andy

Deceased Lapsed Association Member (May
2006)

578942

Luck

A W

Lucky

Deceased Association Member (24th Oct
2002)

578938

Mathews

I M

Matt, AKA "Ivan"

Association Member

579144

Mawson

T W

Tommy

Deceased 9th Jul 1953

579047

Maxwell

P H

Max, AKA "Maxie, Ginger"

Deceased 30th Jan 2000

579075

McMillan

D R

Sambo

FT'd to 46th Entry. Not
traced. London SE2. Deceased
date N/K

579025

McQueen

P

Paul, AKA "Mac"

Association Member

579001

Menear

G H

Geoff, AKA "Min"

Association Member

579016

Mills

J

Johnny

Deceased Association Member (16th Dec
2003)

578927

Neale

C H

Chris

Discharged

579003

Newby

J W

John, AKA "Buff"

Deceased mid 1980's

579119

Newman

K L O

Kenneth, AKA "Jankers"

Discharged

578947

Norman

D J

Doug

Deceased 7th Feb 1992

579159

Page

R A

Ron

Association Member

579158

Palmer

G W R

Roy

578931

Peck

W G

Bill, AKA "Joe"

FT'd to 46th Entry. Association
Member

579140

Peel

R

Ron

Deceased Association Member (29th Dec
1993)

579063

Radford

R V

Ron

FT'd to 46th Entry. Association
Member

579132

Rowland

A R

Rolly, AKA "Dusty"

Not traced. East Barnet

578932

Schmuhl

R C

Bob

Discharged. Lapsed Association
Member

578924

Shilton

R

Rex

Association Member

579125

Simms

T A

Tom

Deceased Association Member (5th Dec
1994)

579147

Simpson

T

Tom

579042

Smith

D E

Don, AKA "Doe"

FT'd to 46th Entry. Not
Traced. Dunblane

579165

Stapleton

L A

Len

Association Member

579160

Statham

G A

Alan

FT'd to 46th Entry. Association
Member

579157

Talboys

N E

Norman, AKA "Shake"

579134

Turner

E G

Eric, AKA "Joe Junior"

FT'd to 46th Entry. Association
Member

579072

Walters

H G

Harold

578958

Wood

F

Woody, AKA "Freddy"

Deceased 11th Sep 1953

ACHIEVEMENTS

At the age of 20, John Frankish was
parachuted into central Java with a team of 8, to
take over after the Japanese surrender, but in
advance of the arrival of the British Army. He was
decorated with the Military Medal by Field
Marshall Slim.

Military
Medal

579104 Corporal
John William
FRANKISH. Royal
Air Force.

Corporal Frankish
took over the
duties of Rawpi
Liaison Officer at
Djocjakarta, the
main centre of the
Indonesian
extremist movement
on 30th September
1945. He commanded
the airfield and
maintained the
communication
flight of light
aircraft. Corporal
Frankish also
negotiated with
the Chief of
Police and the
Sultan of
Djocjakarta,
securing the
release of a large
number of Japanese
airport personnel
who had been
disarmed and
thrown into prison
by the
Indonesians. When
the airfield was
attacked he
remained at his
post, organising
the flight
therefrom of
serviceable
aircraft. During
the fighting at
Mageland Corporal
Frankish operated
a wireless set for
70 hours.
Throughout the
long and dangerous
period Corporal
Frankish performed
his duties often
under fire,
displaying
outstanding
courage,
initiative and
strength of
character.

Ken Newman

Ken was with us for 1½ years of our
training, but then remustered to MT driver.
In later life he became Sir Kenneth Newman.